Applied quasi experimental research design in personal sales – a case study

Abstract

The aim of the following article is to shed some light on the applied quasi experimental research method in personal sales and to provide a practical step-by step guideline for researchers. At the beginning of a customer visit or when entering the shop, a customer often forms a purchase intention or rejection within a very short period (first impression). It is striking that this judgement is often independent of the factual content of the interaction. The theory of thin slices is applied to personal selling within the framework of a laboratory experiment. Professional salespeople from different industries serve as test subjects. The fundamentals of an experimental method are discussed. The main step of an quasi experimental study design are presented: 1) derivation of theoretical fundamentals; 2) hypotheses formulation; 3) selection of participants (subjects); 4) quasi experimental set-up and procedure; 5) observation technique and 6) data evaluation. Finally, the advantages and limitations are discussed.